Philadelphia appoints Tito Valdes as director of LGBTQ+ affairs

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has named former prosecutor Tito Valdes as Philadelphia's director of LGBTQ+ affairs, and Valdes said he will prioritize work with the Department of Human Services to improve care for LGBTQ youth in the city's foster system.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has appointed former prosecutor Tito Valdes as Philadelphia's director of LGBTQ+ affairs. Valdes has legal experience working on youth-related cases and previously served as a city attorney for the Department of Human Services and as an assistant district attorney in the family violence and sexual assault unit. He said a top priority will be coordinating with the Department of Human Services to ensure LGBTQ youth in the foster system receive culturally competent care. Valdes is the third person to hold the role during Parker's administration, following two earlier officeholders who left the city under unusual circumstances. Key facts: - Tito Valdes graduated from Penn State Dickinson Law and has worked on child welfare and youth legal issues as a city attorney and prosecutor. - Valdes said he will focus on ensuring LGBTQ youth in Philadelphia's foster system receive culturally competent services and care. - He has served on the board of the William Way LGBT Community Center and on the Governor's Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Affairs under former Gov. Tom Wolf. - According to the mayor's office, Valdes has received awards including Prosecutor of the Year from the Philadelphia Coalition for Victim Advocacy and a Team Excellence Award from the Philadelphia Children's Alliance, and most recently worked at the law firm Anapol Weiss. - The office has had recent turnover: Tyrell Brown was fired last year after an inspector general investigation into workplace handling of a semi-nude photograph, and Celena Morrison-McLean, the earlier officeholder, left city government in November 2024 after a high-profile traffic stop in March 2024. Summary: Valdes's appointment returns experienced legal leadership to the city's Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs and emphasizes attention to services for LGBTQ youth. He will begin work coordinating with the Department of Human Services; observers have noted recent turnover in the office, and city officials say Valdes brings intergovernmental and collaborative experience to the role.